MACC nabs four Johor govt officials

JOHOR BARU: At least four state government officials have been arrested in two separate cases involving kickbacks in a RM5mil printing contract for religious school books statewide and permits for Islamic premarital courses.

In the first case, officers from the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) detained two officials from the district Islamic Studies Office for receiving kickbacks related to the printing of books for religious schools in Johor.

The two men, aged 45 and 55, were detained when they arrived at the MACC office to have their statements recorded at 4.15pm yesterday.

It is learnt that the 45-year-old suspect is the chairman of an association which was formed in 2015 to coordinate and handle the sales of books and equipment to 550 religious schools in the state.

There are a total of 175,000 students in the religious schools statewide. Sources said the suspects allegedly got regular kickbacks from the company handling the printing of the books. MACC also seized several vehicles from the suspects, believed to have been purchased from their ill-gotten gains.

In the other case, the MACC detained an assistant chief director and an assistant Syariah Law officer from the Johor Islamic Religious Department for accepting bribes and abusing their position.